Hearst's comeback drive begins today

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, September 9, 2001

This is the day. The day when critics are rebuked, when doubters believe, when hope is realized. This is the day Garrison Hearst returns to the football field.

It has taken only four surgeries, 30 months of rehabilitation and the desire of Papillon to accomplish the unprecedented task. The ordeal began on Jan. 9, 1999, in the surreal atmosphere of the Georgia Dome.

On the first offensive play of the game, Hearst, who had gained a team record 1,570 yards that season, burst up the middle. He planted his foot and at the same time, Falcons defensive end Chuck Smith flew in from Hearst's right and draped his 280-pound frame over Hearst's shoulders.

Hearst spun, but his left foot stayed riveted to the artificial turf. His lower leg hinged at a grotesque angle and Hearst fell in anguish. The 49ers' Super Bowl hopes in that divisional playoff game went down with Hearst.

Not so coincidentally, the 49ers have never been the same since. Counting that game, the 49ers are 10-23. During that time, Hearst developed avascular necrosis, a disorder that deprived the talus bone of blood, and the bone died.

In the subsequent surgeries, bone grafted from Hearst's hip was inserted into his foot along with synthetic bone plugs. Those operations were considered radical and doctors have given no assurances his reconstructed talus bone will hold up under NFL stress.

So far, in the many practices since the 43 days when training camp opened, Hearst has been fine.

"I'm excited," one player said about Hearst's return. "I almost want him to gain 100 yards."

That player wasn't even on his team. It was running back Jamal Anderson of the Falcons, the 49ers' opponent today. It's not every day that a player on the opposition hopes an opposing player has a great game.

But Anderson couldn't help himself. "What he's done speaks volumes about him as a person and a player," Anderson said. "For two seasons, I mean, two years, he did not play football and he's going to be starting (today)? For people who want to give up and quit and to not continue to work at what they believe, this is a shinning example for why you should continue to believe in yourself."

Hearst obviously not only inspires his own team but also the entire league, for his comeback and his qualities as a person. "Garrison cares about us and we care about him," 49ers guard Dave Fiore said. "He cares not only about his own position group, but everybody else, too. It spreads throughout the whole team."

Hearst himself doesn't say much about his two-year ordeal. Never one to divulge much to the media anyway, Hearst doesn't seem overly impressed with his own dedication to return.

"I always thought I would be back on the field," Hearst said. "I always wanted to play and I never thought it was over for me."

While the 49ers slogged through the past two seasons of losing football, Hearst was a presence. He accompanied the team to games, and continued to work out while the team struggled through its paces.

"He was always around the place, around the building rehabbing," guard Ray Brown said. "He was optimistic. That's what I saw on the outside. Now, there was probably some internal turmoil."

Just how much turmoil, Hearst will never let on, not even to close friends like fullback Fred Beasley. But there's no doubt Hearst is sensitive. When he broke his clavicle, Hearst missed the last three games of the 1997 season plus a playoff game; Hearst took the team's eventual playoff ousting that year hard.

He lost weight after the season and went for a weeks without conditioning. Who knows what Hearst went through mentally during the numerous setbacks during his comeback?

Whatever it was, Hearst marched through and clung to his resolve to come back. And now he's the leader of a team in need of inspiration.

"He's the medicine for whatever ails us," Beasley said. "He could have easily been let down about all of this. But he came back and proved everybody wrong."

49ERS (0-0) VS. FALCONS (0-0)

-- WHEN: Sunday, 1:15p.m.

-- WHERE: 3Com Park

-- TV: Channel 2

-- RADIO: KGO (810 AM)

-- STORY LINE: With the roster constantly shifting and two straight poor performances coming out of the exhibition season, the 49ers appear to be in disarray. Some players maintain that the real team hasn't had a chance to show itself in the exhibition games because of injuries and the need for backups to develop and play. Today will prove if those players are right. The Falcons are a beatable team and a win in the opener could make the uncertainty of the last few weeks disappear. A win could also infuse young players with confidence and make the team's many newcomers believe in the 49ers system. Wide receiver J.J. Stokes said this game is huge, and he's right.

-- WHEN 49ERS HAVE THE BALL: The Falcons are weak at linebacker and at safety, which could cause the 49ers to run the ball. Also by running, the 49ers could control the clock and keep their vulnerable defense off the field. The team is praying as a group that nothing happens to tackles Derrick Deese or Scott Gragg. With backup tackle Matt Willig recovering from knee surgery, the team is extremely shorthanded at tackle. A terrific matchup is wide receiver Terrell Owens against cornerback Ray Buchanan, two of the game's best.

-- WHEN FALCONS HAVE THE BALL: Rookie defensive end Andre Carter will get a fine welcome to the NFL by going up against 10-year veteran and former Stanford standout Bob Whitfield. But Whitfield is the only solid starter on a line that shifted constantly throughout training camp. The 49ers have an advantage here. Another spirited matchup will be linebackers Derek Smith and Jeff Ulbrich against running back Jamal Anderson. His knee problems of two years ago seem far behind him, and Anderson goes into this game more inspired than ever to return to his 1998 form.